Hannover have claimed a vital win in the relegation battle by beating Hamburger SV thanks to a late goal from Didier Ya Konan.

The home side started brightly and Lars Stindl came close twice inside the first five minutes, but two efforts from around the edge of the box went high and wide.

Stindl proved to be the dangerman early on with the opening goal after nine minutes. He struck with a header from close range after meeting Edgar Prib's cross first.

The away side were hardly in the game at all and the next chance went the way of the hosts again, although Leonardo Bittencourt would have to have done well to score from a tight angle and instead put it wide.

Just before the break Ya Konan had an effort from an angle on the left of the box but could not quite do enough to beat Rene Adler.

It took just three minutes of the second half for the away side to get themselves level as Hakan Calhanoglu fired in a low free kick to beat Ron-Robert Zieler.

However, the spoils went the way of the home team with Ya Konan bundling the ball in from inside the six-yard box.